Rig Veda 1.27.3: Mandala 1, Sukta 27, Mantra 3
Sukta 1.27
- Rishi
- Sunaḥśepa Ājīgarti
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism)
स नो दूराच्चासाच्च नि मर्त्यादघायोः । पाहि सदमिद्विश्वायुः ॥
sa nó dūrā́c cāsā́c ca ní martyā́d aghāyóḥ | pāhí sádam íd viśvā́yuḥ ||
Dia—yang segenap-hayat bagi kami—peliharalah kami sentiasa daripada pelaku jahat di kalangan insan fana, dari jauh dan dari dekat; tekanlah dan jauhkanlah mudarat itu.
Word by Word
- सः
- he (that one)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (स-आदेशः)
- नः
- of us / for usPronounषष्ठी (एन्क्लिटिक), बहुवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद्
- दूरात्
- from afarNoun (adverbial use)नपुंसकलिङ्गः, पञ्चमी, एकवचनम् (अव्ययीभाव/क्रियाविशेषणवत्)Role ApādānaRoot दूर (प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root च
- आसात्
- from near / from close at handNoun (adverbial use)स्त्रीलिङ्गः, पञ्चमी, एकवचनम् (क्रियाविशेषणवत्)Role ApādānaRoot आसा (प्रातिपदिक; ‘निकट/समीप’)
- च
- andIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root च
- नि
- down, away (as preverb)Preverb/Indeclinableउपसर्गःRoot नि
- मर्त्यात्
- from the mortalNounपुंलिङ्गः, पञ्चमी, एकवचनम्Role ApādānaRoot मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- अघायोः
- of the evil-lived one / of the malevolentNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot अघायुः (प्रातिपदिक; ‘अघ-आयुस्’)
- पाहि
- protect!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root पा (पालने)
- सदम्
- alwaysIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot सदम् (अव्यय; ‘सदा’)
- इद्
- indeed, justParticleनिपातःRoot इद्
- विश्वायुः
- having all life / of full lifespanAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot विश्वायु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘विश्व-आयुस्’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: सः नः दूरात् च आसात् च नि मर्त्यात् अघायोः । पाहि सदम् इद् विश्वायुः ॥ 1) दू॒राच्चा॒साच्च = दूरात् + च + आसात् + च (त् + च → च्च; ‘दूरात्’ का त् ‘च’ से संधि होकर ‘च्च’). 2) मर्त्या॑दघा॒योः = मर्त्यात् + अघायोः (त् + अ → द्; जश्त्व). 3) सद॒मिद् = सदम् + इद् (अनुस्वार/विसर्ग नहीं; केवल संयोग).
- पदच्छेद में सामान्य रूप (उदात्त-चिह्न रहित) दिया गया है।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni, our ‘all-life’, protect us always from the evil-doer among mortals, from far and near; press down that harm.
Inner meaning
Agni as viśvāyuḥ—support of the whole life-force—guards the inner sacrifice from hostile movements: thoughts, desires, or influences that injure the growth of consciousness. ‘From afar and from near’ indicates both obvious disturbances (outer circumstances, gross impulses) and subtle ones (remote suggestions, inherited habits, subconscient waves). The mantra asks Agni to ‘press down’ (ni…) the rising of the harmful force so it cannot enter or dominate the field of practice.
Universal truth
Sustained spiritual practice needs a vigilant inner fire that discriminates, rejects, and neutralizes forces opposed to truth, whether gross or subtle.
Themes
protection, warding off evil, inner and outer adversaries, guardianship of the sacrifice
The seer
- Rishi
- Sunaḥśepa Ājīgarti
- Other hymns
- RV 1.24, RV 1.25, RV 1.26, RV 1.27, RV 1.28, RV 1.29, RV 1.30
Family tradition
Ājīgarti; the seer’s tone often carries urgency for protection and release—psychologically, the soul seeking a guardian flame amid trial.
Significance
Represents the seeker’s need for an inner protector that can deal with both gross and subtle adverse movements, keeping the path clear for illumination.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- viśvāyuḥ (all-life), pāhi (protector—invoked as guardian)
- Related deities
- Indra (slayer of Vṛtra/obstruction), Varuṇa (guardian of ṛta), Rudra (protector-healer; appears later in the hymn)
Cosmic role
Guardian of the rite; repeller of hostile powers; establisher of safe passage between mortal and divine.
Inner power
The discerning flame that detects falsehood and cleanses the field; a protective intensity that maintains clarity and right vibration.
In ritual
Where it is used
Protective invocation within Agni hymns; used as a rakṣā-prayer during offerings
स नो॑ दू॒राच्चा॒साच्च॒ नि मर्त्या॑दघा॒योः । पा॒हि सद॒मिद्वि॒श्वायु॑: ॥
सः । नः॒ । दू॒रात् । च॒ । आ॒सात् । च॒ । नि । मर्त्या॑त् । अ॒घ॒ऽयोः । पा॒हि । सद॑म् । इत् । वि॒श्वऽआ॑युः ॥
saḥ | naḥ | dūrāt | ca | āsāt | ca | ni | martyāt | agha-yoḥ | pāhi | sadam | it | viśva-āyuḥ
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3 × 8; clipped imperatives give a guarded, martial compactness.
Alert, protective, slightly percussive due to imperatives (pāhi) and contrasts (dūrāt/āsāt).
Creates a felt boundary; steadies prāṇa and sharpens inner vigilance.
- विś्वायुḥ (viśvāyuḥ)
- Literal: all-life, having all life. Symbolic: the divine Fire that sustains and integrates the whole pranic-mental life for the yoga
- दूरात् / आसात् (dūrāt / āsāt)
- Literal: from afar / from near. Symbolic: remote subtle influences and close immediate impulses; both outer and inner sources of disturbance
- मर्त्यात् (martyāt)
- Literal: from the mortal. Symbolic: from the lower human nature (ego, desire, ignorance)
- अघयोः (aghayoḥ)
- Literal: of the evil-doer/harmful one. Symbolic: hostile formations—negative thought, desire, fear, falsehood—attacking the sadhana
- नि … पाहि (ni… pāhi)
- Literal: press down… protect. Symbolic: active rejection plus protective containment; not suppression by fear but firm luminous will
Protective (ābhicārika-avoidant) framing within sacrificial session: Agni invoked as rakṣohā/guardian to ward off hostility during offering and chant
Before/while offering, especially when seeking protection from harm or negative influence.
Recitation with oblation; mentally ‘fencing’ the altar/space with Agni.
Use before meditation or travel: establish an inner perimeter—‘May the fire of discernment protect me from near and far disturbances.’
√pā ‘to protect’ (pāhi) is the central imperative of guardianship. (agha) ‘evil, harm’ + -yú ‘one who seeks/does’ → aghāyú ‘evil-doer’, often a human/inner adversary (not merely moral but obstructive to truth). / as preverb indicates downward-driving/repulsion of hostile forces. - (viśvā́yu-) ‘having all life’ from āyú ‘life, vital duration’ (PIE *h₂eyu- ‘life-force, vital energy’).
Ṛta vs anṛta (right order vs distortion/hostility), rakṣas/obstruction as inner-outer adversarial force, viśvāyu (universal life as sustaining principle)
Harm is that which deviates from ṛta; Agni guards the right rhythm of the being.
Protection is ultimately protection of truth-consciousness from admixture.
Sustaining ‘all-life’ indicates Agni as the organizer of the evolving life-field toward higher law.
Integral Yoga psychology: hostile formations and the need for rejection (apavāda) by the psychic fire.
Fire = vigilant will; far/near = subtle/gross planes of influence; ‘mortal’ = lower nature; protection = purification and boundary of consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem of the divine guardian who forms a protective circumference: Agni as the ever-wakeful protector keeps hostile forces (aghāyu) at bay from both ‘far’ and ‘near’—a spatial coding of threats in the seen and unseen worlds, and psychologically of conscious and subconscious intrusions.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The imperative pāhi from √pā aligns with an inherited Indo-European lexicon of guarding (semantic parallels in PIE *peh₂- ‘protect, shepherd’ often discussed). Spatial oppositions (dūrāt/āsāt) are a common Indo-European poetic binary. āyú ‘life’ reflects an old stratum of ‘vital duration’ vocabulary across IE.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi positions the Devatā as a constant indwelling protector (sadam id): not episodic help but continuous guardianship. The sacrifice and the aspirant’s life are entrusted to Agni’s universal vitality (viśvāyu), implying the deity’s presence as a stable law of being rather than a mere external rescuer.
Establish inner protection: invoke Agni to keep out harmful thoughts, impulses, and atmospheres from both ‘near’ and ‘far’.
manipura
On inhale, feel a bright flame in the navel; on exhale, push outward a ring of warm light while chanting pāhi sadam.
Alert quietude; guarded openness without fear.
When negativity appears, do not debate it—offer it into the fire and command it to fall away (ni…). Repeat the verse until the nervous system settles and clarity returns.
Vedic svaras with emphasis on the imperative pāhi; keep contrasts dūrāc/āsāc clear; avoid rushing sandhi clusters.
Mark a deliberate pause after āsāc ca; give weight to pāhi sadam; end viśvāyuḥ with a steady, open vowel.
(dūrāc ca): maintain long ū; double consonant feel in -c ca-, (āsāc ca): long ā; clear sibilant s, (martyāt): palatal ty cluster, (aghayoḥ): gh as voiced aspirate; yoḥ with visarga-like breath at end if reciting pada-style, (pāhi): long ā; soft h
Firm, protective, slightly lower register; clear articulation.
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